She watched,breathless, as with a gentle flick he brought the button closed,his fingers lingering a touch too long before he slowly raised hisgaze. She was caught by his dark eyes, everything around themfading as she lost herself in him.
“Doyou think he was convinced?” he asked, his lips barelymoving.
She blinked.“Pardon?”
“Sutton. Do you think he was convinced?”
It wasplayacting only. It wasn’t real.
She pulled herhand from his. “I would say yes. You were persuasive.” To say theleast of it. Somehow, he had persuadedher. More fool shewas.
“Good. I presume that is why you brought us here, because youknew he would be here also.”
“Ofcourse.” She offered a smile, and if it felt garish and wrong, shetook comfort in knowing she performed it so often, no one else sawthe difference. “Come, we must to the booksellers. We are alreadylate.”
A frown touchedhis brow. “Seraphina…”
“Come, Stephen. We must away.” Turning her smile brighter, shetook his arm and urged them to leave.
He allowed herthis, though his brows were still drawn. He did not question, andthey passed the rest of the afternoon looking to all the world likea couple in early courtship.
But she knew itto be false. He had, after all, reminded her.
Chapter Nine
THE VISCOUNTESS QUINN’S ASSEMBLY was the most covetedof events. Always a lavish affair, everyone who was anyone cravedan invitation, and this year’s ball was no exception. The hallwaysand ballroom of Quinn House teemed with guests, marvelling at theextravagance and the glamour as the Viscountess outdid herself yetagain. Peonies and baby’s breath dripped from the buttresses andarchways against a backdrop of evergreen sprigs. Tiny candleswinked in the foliage, glinting off spun-silver spanning likespider web across the greenery.
In therefreshments room, guests crowded around tables laden withextravagant delicacies: exotic fruits, delicate sandwiches,pastries that melted in one’s mouth, while a pyramid of champagneglasses towered over an enormous punch bowl.
Taking a sip ofher punch, Sera pretended idleness as she examined the crowd.Ladies Gordon, Hutton and Adams gathered by the four-tiered,elaborately decorated cake, their gazes sweeping the room as theygossiped amongst themselves. Opposite, Lady Gresham stood with hercohort, glaring at the trio even as she surveyed the crowd throughher looking glass.
The biggestgossips in London in perfect view of where Sera stood. Everyoneknew one attended Viscountess Quinn’s assembly to see and be seen,that the gossips in attendance would spread whatever they learnedaround the Ton by the end of the following day. It was the perfectplace to insinuate a connection merely by standing too close toanother, to intimate a courtship with nothing more thanproximity.
Now all sheneeded was the man she wanted to be seen with.
Raising herglass, Sera scowled at the liquid. She’d discussed this withStephen just yesterday as they had toured the museum and she hadexplicitly stated he was to attend. He’d assured her he would doso, for all he had not quite met her eyes and instead had seemedtoo enamoured of the display of treasures from Cairo. She’d feltuneasy then and it seemed she had not been wrong to feel so: it hadjust gone half-ten and he’d not yet arrived.
Across the room,Maria flirted outrageously with Lord Palmer, giggling as she battedhim with her fan, while Elizabeth was nowhere to be seen. Whenshe’d first arrived at Quinn House, Sera had been quite content toallow them their solitary pursuits, more concerned with making itso others noticed she was not with her usual companions and takingnote of who shewaswith. Now, though, she contemplatedrounding them up to attend her and discover just where, exactly,Lord Stephen Farlislewas.
Also across theroom, Lydia Torrence bent her red-gold head to Violet Crafersblonde one as the Duke of Meacham approached them, an unholy gleamto his eye. That gleam only brightened when Violet Crafers noticedhis approach and sent him the most terrific glare.
Sera’s gazetouched on a man who glared ather. Perfectly coiffed, thesneer twisting the Duke of Sutton’s lips ruined his icy perfection.She did not count herself unique, however. He wore the expressionoften, as if everything and everyone was beneath his condescension.It had been mildly amusing to allow him to court her, to enjoy theadulation his station afforded. It was, however, exceedinglytiresome he could not accept that courtship was now over andfurther, she had been the one to end it. He deserved to lose thewager with Stephen, and if it helped Stephen’s charity, all thebetter.
Exhaling, shediscarded her punch. Everyone was here. Simply everyone. Apart fromthe man who hadpromisedhe would be.
“Lady Seraphina?” Clothed in emerald green, Miss Edirisinghebeamed at her. Somehow, the girl had appeared at Sera’s sidewithout her notice.
She frowned. Thegirl’s dress was inappropriate. She was young—not more thanseventeen, if she had to guess—and bright colours were ill-fittingto debutantes. Sera’s own gown was a royal shade of blue but, eventhough she was unmarried and technically disallowed such shades,she was eight seasons removed from debut. The girl, however, wasfrom Ceylon and perhaps they did things differently in theEast.
“Iamsopleased to finally speak with you,” Miss Edirisinghecontinued, a slight accent flavouring the words she fairly gushed.“I know we have not formally been introduced, but I have longed todo so for an age.”
“Miss Edirisinghe,” she greeted.
The girl’s smilebrightened. “Oh, you know who I am? I amsoglad. I washoping this wouldn’t be awkward, and now, it won’t be. Please, maywe take a turn about the room? I am dying to learneverythingabout you.”
She could thinkof no reason to disagree, and she could not yet cut the girldirect. She did not know enough about her, who her connectionswere, who she, Sera, might offend by offering a slight. It was sucha small thing she asked, and Sera had no desire to explain thereason she would refuse some a simple request was she was awaitingthe presence of aman.
Abruptly, shesmiled and took Miss Edirisinghe’s arm. “I would be delighted, mydear.”
